Doug Wawarzynski, a second-year law student at the University of Utah, could see that his future career and his beer-brewing hobby would come to a head one day.
The Utah State Bar asks applicants if they have ever violated the law. But making beer or wine in the basement without a license is illegal in Utah.
"I knew I'd be posed with that question and I wanted me and the law to be in line before I graduated," said the 29-year-old Salt Lake City resident, who led a yearlong push to make amateur beer and wine brewing legal in the Beehive State.
This year, HB51 breezed through the House and the Senate and was signed into law on March 24. On May 12, when it takes effect, hobbyists 21 or older who produce less than 100 gallons of wine or beer in a year for personal or family consumption are exempt from state-licensing requirements. Two people, 21 or older, who live in the same house can produce up to 200 gallons without needing a license. (Distilling spirits without a license is still illegal under federal law.)
Gary Glass, director of the American Home Brewers Association in Boulder, Colo., said that while prohibition of alcohol ended in the United States in 1933, a glitch in the wording kept home brewing illegal until 1978. At that time, it was up to each state to determine whether to legalize the practice. Utah was one of the last. Now only Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi and Oklahoma forbid home brewing.
The Utah legislative change received little media fanfare during the session, taking a back seat to other changes to the state's quirky liquor laws, including the elimination of private clubs and the glass enclosures known as Zion curtains.
But those who enjoy experimenting at home with water, hops and yeast are excited about the possibilities that legalization brings. It will open the mostly underground hobby to more people and allow for more beer-brewing classes, home brewing clubs and amateur competitions.
In fact, the Beer Nut, a Salt Lake City business that sells the individual ingredients for beer making, is already trying to organize the state's first amateur beer competition for Utah's Pioneer Day celebration on July 24, according to store manager Jamie Burnham.
Unlike the stereotype of an old bootlegger who makes high-octane moonshine -- and drinks it from a cork-topped jug -- many of today's home brewers might be considered similar to "gourmet foodies," thanks to their interest in sampling microbrewed beers, seeking new recipes and asking questions in hopes of creating something unique at home.
"Brewing is an art form," Burnham said. "It's just like taking a quilt to a show. You want to do well and get feedback from people are more experienced."
Glass, with the Home Brewers Association, estimates there are 7,400 home brewers in Utah. But he admits those numbers may be low since many people may have been reluctant to join his national organization, which includes a subscription to a magazine that would advertise subscribers' interest or participation in an illegal activity.
"The law has definitely not hindered anyone," explained Mike Riedel, a self-proclaimed beer geek and author of www.utahbeer.blogspot.com. "But we always felt like we were deviants."
Riedel said he would like to see an amateur beer category at the Utah State Fair, something many other states offer. "That's something that's been denied to Utahns for a long time."
Until that happens, brew masters at six of Utah's microbreweries -- most of whom got their start in the business as hobbyists -- are getting the party started. This month they are collaborating on a new beer, aptly called HB51.
Each of the six pubs will brew the same Amber Session Ale but with a different twist. Desert Edge Brewery in Trolley Square, for example, will make an unfiltered ale, while Red Rock Brewing Co. will make a filtered beer. Hoppers in Midvale will age its beer with oak, while Bohemian Brewery, also in Midvale, will ferment its ale with a lager yeast. Wasatch Brew Pub will add dry hops, while Squatters will be adding hops through a process known as "hopback."
The collaboration is designed to show home brewers "how making one change can affect the beer," said Donovan Steele, the brew master at Hoppers. The recipe for the ale -- selected because of its simple ingredients and easy-to-drink style -- will be available at each brew pub for those who want to try making the beer at home.
All six versions of HB51 will available on tap beginning May 1, just in time for National Homebrew Day on May 2.
Wawrzynski said he'll probably try to taste the professional variations. But he will wait until May 12 to brew. "I'll set up a propane burner and make my first legal home brew," he said. "I'll name it something special and if it works out, I'll save it for future anniversaries."
